Nick Faldo: The Most Disciplined Champion Golf Ever Produced
Nick Faldo won six major championships. He also made the most significant voluntary sacrifice in the history of professional golf: at the peak of his game in 1984, ranked inside the top ten in the world, he decided his swing was fundamentally flawed and rebuilt it from scratch over 18 months with coach David Leadbetter. He didn't win a major championship during the rebuild. When the new swing was complete, he won six.
The Decision to Rebuild
Faldo's original swing was a capable professional swing that won tournaments and produced consistent results. It was also, he and Leadbetter concluded, too dependent on timing — a swing that worked under normal conditions and fell apart under major championship pressure. The new swing they built together over 18 months was mechanically repeatable under pressure in a way the original wasn't. The cost was two years of competitive results during which Faldo looked like he had fallen off a cliff.
The reward was six major championships and the world number one ranking for 97 weeks across a career that extended from his rebuilt swing's debut in 1987 to his final competitive seasons in the early 2000s. The discipline of the decision — to voluntarily get worse in order to eventually get better — is unmatched in the professional game.
The Six Majors
Faldo won three Masters (1989, 1990, 1996) and three Open Championships (1987, 1990, 1992). The 1989 and 1990 Masters victories were both won in playoffs — Scott Hoch missed a short putt in 1989, Raymond Floyd hit his approach into the water at the second playoff hole in 1990. The 1996 Masters was won in the open air, with Faldo shooting 67 in the final round to overtake Greg Norman's six-shot lead and win by five.
The 1996 performance — 67 while his playing partner and overnight leader produced one of the worst final rounds in major championship history — is Faldo's defining performance. He did not collapse his opponent; his opponent collapsed. But Faldo's 67 under those conditions — beginning a round against a six-shot deficit with no realistic expectation of winning, and producing a major championship-quality round anyway — is the evidence of his character under pressure.
Broadcasting Career
Faldo has had a lengthy broadcasting career with CBS and Golf Channel after his competitive days ended. His commentary is technically precise and occasionally controversial — he has been more willing than most broadcasters to criticize players' decisions in real time, which has generated both criticism and respect.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many majors did Nick Faldo win?
Nick Faldo won six major championships: three Masters (1989, 1990, 1996) and three Open Championships (1987, 1990, 1992).
Why did Nick Faldo rebuild his swing?
Faldo concluded that his original swing was timing-dependent and unreliable under major championship pressure. Working with coach David Leadbetter, he rebuilt his swing from scratch in 1984-1985 — a process that cost him competitive results for nearly two years but produced a mechanically repeatable swing that underpinned six major championships.